Russia-Ukraine war: Evacuation efforts on at Mariupol, US seeks to downplay role in sinking of Russian warship, and more

Rescuers were seeking to evacuate more civilians from tunnels beneath a sprawling steel mill in Mariupol as Ukrainian fighters make their last stand to prevent Moscow’s complete takeover of the strategically important port city. Dozens of people were evacuated Friday from the Azovstal plant and handed over to representatives of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, Russian and Ukrainian officials said. The Russian military said the group of 50 included 11 children.
US seeks to downplay role in sinking of Russian warship
The Biden adminration sought to downplay the role of American intelligence in the high-profile sinking of the Russian missile cruiser Moskva, dancing itself from any direct role in one of the greatest embarrassments for Russia since it attacked Ukraine.

A day after an American official confirmed that the US provided Ukraine with information on the location of the ship, the White House and Pentagon described a limited role in last month’s attack and said the Ukrainians make their own decisions. “We had no prior knowledge of Ukraine’s intent to target the ship,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. “The Ukrainians have their own intelligence capabilities to track and target Russian naval vessels, as they did in this case.” 
UNSC drops ‘war’, ‘invasion’ from first statement, terms it a ‘dispute’
The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted its first statement on Ukraine since Russia’s military action began on February 24, expressing “strong support” for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ efforts to find a peaceful solution to the 10-week “dispute.”

Adopted: #UNSC Presidential Statement on #Ukraine. The SC expresses deep concern with the maintenance of #peace and security in Ukraine and strong support for @antonioguterres’s efforts in the search for a peaceful solution.
Presidential Statement⬇️ pic.twitter.com/mnJXcIKteR
— UAE Mission to the UN (@UAEMissionToUN) May 7, 2022
The short presidential statement approved at a very brief council meeting Friday does not mention a “war,” “conflict” or “invasion” as many council members call Russia’s ongoing military action, or a “special military operation” as Moscow refers to it. That’s because Russia, which hold veto power in the council, has blocked all previous attempts to adopt a presidential statement which requires unanimity or a resolution.
US sending another $150 million in assance 
US President Joe Biden on Friday authorised the shipment of another $150 million in military assance for Ukraine for artillery rounds and radar systems in its fight against Russia’s invading forces. Biden said the latest spending means his adminration has “nearly exhausted” what Congress authorised for Ukraine in March and called on lawmakers to swiftly approve a more than $33 billion spending package that will last through the end of September.
Here are other key updates from the day:
➡️ Russian forces continued their ground assault on the Azovstal steel plant with air support, Ukraine said.
➡️ Russia continued its push in the east of the country. Its defence minry said it had destroyed an ammunition depot in Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region and shot down two Ukrainian warplanes.
➡️ Ukrainian forces made some advances near Kharkiv and Kherson, inflicting heavy losses, while also suffering losses of their own, a Ukrainian presidential adviser said. Reuters could not independently verify reports of battlefield developments.
➡️ Amnesty International said there was compelling evidence that Russian troops had committed war crimes during their failed onslaught of Kyiv in February and March. Moscow has denied that its forces committed abuses.
➡️ Russia’s invasion has devastated hundreds of hospitals and other medical institutions, Zelenskyy said.
➡️ Putin will send a “doomsday” warning to the West when he leads celebrations on Monday marking the 77th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany, brandishing Russia’s vast firepower while its forces fight on in Ukraine.
➡️ G7 leaders will hold a video call on Sunday with Zelenskyy in a show of unity the day before Russia marks its Victory Day holiday, the White House said.
➡️ The European Commission has proposed changes to its planned embargo on Russian oil to give Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic more time to prepare for the shift in their energy supplies, sources said.
(Compiled from Reuters and Associated Press reports)